Articles by Nour Fakharany

The 1940s architectural marvel Casa Sobre el Arroyo has been awarded the 2024 Worlds Monuments Fund/Knoll Modernism Prize for its outstanding restoration. Initially designed in 1943 by architects Amancio Williams and Delfina Galvez Bunge de Williams, this “house on the bridge” symbolizes Argentina’s modernist movement. The project is the first winner of the prestigious Modernism prize in the Global South, now standing as a museum for the protection of Argentina’s modern heritage.

The Abu Dhabi International Airport has been officially renamed Zayed International Airport, Terminal A. Designed and executed by KPF, the revamped complex will accommodate up to 45 million passengers annually, doubling the airport’s capacity. Informed by the desert’s natural landscape and Islamic culture’s geometric motifs, the terminal was designed considering the Emirate’s surrounding context.

MVRDV has just introduced its comprehensive plan and architectural vision for the construction of the Gate M West Bund Dream Center in Shanghai. Formerly home to a cement plant factory, the design uses the existing structures for cultural programs and combines them with new structures to house new functions. The Dream Center aims to revitalize the riverbank area into a thriving cultural and recreational district.

In 1988, Jacques Chirac made a never-fulfilled promise to make swimming accessible in the Seine River within 5 years. With swimming in the Seine officially banned by the French government in 1923, the river has been neglected for decades, flooded with high levels of bacteria and pollution resulting from industrialization and urbanization. With the XXXIII Olympic Games happening in Paris, Mayor Anne Hidalgo has drafted a “Swimming Plan,” aiming to finally transform the Seine River into a swimmable urban waterway. The billion-dollar effort outlines the river as a venue for this summer’s aquatic Olympic events.

The Second Studio (formerly The Midnight Charette) is an explicit podcast about design, architecture, and the everyday. Hosted by Architects David Lee and Marina Bourderonnet, it features different creative professionals in unscripted conversations that allow for thoughtful takes and personal discussions.

The Jane Drew Prize for Architecture 2024 and the Ada Louise Huxtable Prize for Contribution to Architecture 2024 have been awarded to Polish-French architect Iwona Buczkowska and political activist and author Angela Davis, respectively. Honoring their work and commitment to their practices, the awards highlight their efforts to raise the profile of women in architecture. The Jane Drew Prize celebrates Buczkowska’s innovative approach to social housing and public buildings in France. Meanwhile, the Ada Louise Huxtable Prize recognizes Angela Davis’s leadership in the movement to abolish the prison system.

Desert X AlUla will open its latest exhibition themed “In the Presence of Absence,” from February 9th to March 23rd, 2024. Featuring 15 commissioned artworks that explore the unseen, the festival takes place bi-yearly in the desert region of Saudi Arabia. This edition of Desert X AlUla is curated by Maya El Khalil, renowned for her art advisory and MENA-focused curation, and Marcello Dantas, an award-winning curator known for his interdisciplinary practices.

The recently released “Abijo Mosque Documentary” explores the journey of designing and building the Abijo Mosque in Lagos, Nigeria. The documentary provides a detailed narrative of the design process and the cultural context around the new structure. Designed by Patrickwaheed Design Consultancy (PWDC), the mosque is a testament to the integration of traditional materials and contemporary architecture. The Abijo Mosque design also helps “build the case for a Nigerian architectural language.”

As France prepares for the XXXIII Olympic Games, Paris plans to showcase its rich cultural legacy. The 2024 Olympics, which will begin on July 25, 2024, are set to be a momentous occasion for the city as it anticipates competitors and spectators worldwide. Embracing a “pioneering approach,” Paris 2024 aims to reimagine the Olympic experience by departing from the traditional stadium venues and “integrating sports into the fabric of the city.” From the iconic Grand Palais to the Eiffel Tower, the Gardens of Versailles, and the famous La Concorde, world-famous landmarks are set to host the 2024 games.

Last week, Hassell revealed the Lunar Habitat Masterplan, a modular concept for a moon base. Developed in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) and Cranfield University, the project aims to contribute to the formation of the first permanent human settlement on the moon. Representing a significant set forward in interstellar exploration, the masterplan hopes to support the development of a community on the moon.